Ok '01 ford f-250 only mods that have been done is upgraded to 4" exhaust and hypertech tuner. Im looking to install an exhaust brake, EGT and aux tranny cooler. Not really sure where to start with this. My first truck to modify like this never really needed the upgrades before but I now tow a RV for my home away from home for work all over the country. My truck needs a boost so to speak.

 

Here's a great place for you to start:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...mmon-mods.html

Be prepared for lots of reading.

 

Welcome to FTE. There are plenty of mods, but very few are necessary. There are a few things you can do to help with things that could have been done better when tha trucks were designed, but didn't show up till years later. One item is the hutch mod. Search that and read. Really easier than it sounds. The trans cooler is a good one also. Search that and read up on it. Tuners? Most of us go with one tailored to your truck, but none is necessary. Look at the common mods and maintenance on the 7.3 home page, it will keep you busy for hours. Its mostly keeping things working to spec. and your good to go. Of course you might want to play a little to, but be prepared. I wouldn't do much of anything until you decide what you need the truck for.

 

One other thing, keep tabs on your thread, the posts will likely add up quickly.

 

Stinson Thanks for your help im kinda at a disadvantage i never used a forum before so im still learning how to navigate this site. a little history and changes needed. I live in louisiana so mods were never really needed for towing but over the last few years ive been on the road for work and towing a 16000 lb RV and realized that i really need to boost my braking and power capabilities. flat lander going to the mountains where lessons are learned about towing,LOL
F-250 super duty 2x4 XLT Crew Cab

 

Thanks also binuya that site is a great help

 

Some of the first things you need to do first that will help with towing.

remove the airbox and install a wix 3367 filter or an equal filter to let the motor breathe. do not use the stock replacement K&N filter. they are know to leak.

You already did the 4" exhaust. It should be from the turbo back

You NEED to monitor whats going on. You need to install gauges. Trans Temp, Boost and Exhaust gas Temp. EGT.

You already have a tuner But, I don't know anything about hypertech tuners.
You need your tuner tuned to your truck AFTER you install any mods. if it is set up for a stock truck, then you do the mod's you will not get the performance out of any tuner .

Those are the basic's you need to get you started.

Then a 6.0 trans oil cooler would be my next mod. helps cool the trans better when towing.

What tire size are you running ? If they are larger tires, is it re-geared for them ? that will kill performance.

Then when you get the Bug like Tugly has for mod's, you better get a 2nd job..

 

I've done air filter mod and i'm currently running a larger tire but i'm considering going back to the factory size. How do I determine which tuner I need after the mods are done because i really would like to do all this at one time so im not relicking the calf again(A little Redneck lingo for ya LOL). And who is Tugly? As for the second job i'm just interested in max towing and braking with out destroying my beloved truck for now but this can get addictive really quick and I know me I'll get addicted as i have with restoration projects on some oldies. This is great i never expected to meet such hospitality like this.
Thanks

 

Yea, x2 on the exhaust temp guage, most important of them all, even a stock truck should have one. X2 on stock tires also for towing. For a tuner, hold tight and do your research. Tuning is one of the most debated topics. Tugly is one of us, and FTE is the best. You'll be glad you stopped by. Stick around and make new friends and learn a few things while your here.

 

Welcome and good luck. Spend some time just checking out the site, etc. It does take some practice at finding stuff, because sometimes there is too much info to digest.
Personally 16k is a lot to pull. But can be done. Be sure your truck is 100% on maintanance, etc. Gauges first, so you can monitor everything after. EGT's can be a real issue towing heavy. Like was said, the 6.0 trans cooler is a good way to go. Look at the mod list, and consider trans flush, coolant flush, be sure all is good before getting too far into stuff. Get a good brake controller (I like Prodigy P2), and be sure those trailer brakes are perfect. Check out RV.net for a good forum for towing, but this is the site for truck stuff.
I am sure more will be coming. Settle in and enjoy.

 

How far do you want to go. There's a guy on here named Barney, he tows16 or 18K behind his F550. He went with PHP for tuner and swamps 175/146 injectors and loves them. He tows his house, on the road working, and loves his set up. He also installed Bigger HPOP for the injectors. Its lived tuned and EGT's stay in check. Tall tires and stock gears kill performance with that weight. You'll need extra power if you run bigger tires. Everything above is good. If you have automatic trans 6.0L cooler or = is a must.

 

Tugly is a great guy.. He has the mod fever. He is doing a lot of different Big mods like turbo's, injectors, Hpop and other mods. He is very informative on experimenting and understanding what should make what work.. We all sit around waiting for his post's

I my self had to cut back after i got started.
I just wanted to tow with better performance also.

like what other have said, there are a few great tuners out there. Do your research.
stay away from chips like superchip that only comes with per-programed performance tunes that can't be changed. We call those store Box tuners.

I believe there are 3 Tuners that most people on this site use. PHP, DP, and i believe the other is edge.

You have it programmed to your truck and for the mods you have and what you want to do, Like tow.
You, just like i was will be very impressed it the Tow tunes out there to tow with.

After adding the air filter, exhaust, gauges and tuner. You may only gain a mile or so per gallon But.. The performance will tell the tail..
These guys here rock.
After doing my mods as exactly what i just said above, I went from towing my 9K toy hauler up the grapevine in 2nd at a little more than 3/4 throttle Doing 50mph
To, in 3rd with the 80 HP Tow tune at about half throttle at 70mph.
This is with the stock Hpop and injectors.

 

Wow! You guys are talking about me like I'm... uh... OK. Yea... I've volunteered to be the official forum guinea pig.



First... you have a lot of big grades in Louisiana? I have the decel tune for my mountain driving and there are others who tow 5'ers with the tow tune, but it looks like you're going max here. Somebody may visit the thread that can compare the decel tune vs. a true engine brake (Snake Brake vs. Jake Brake), but you may need to search for it or ask that specifically in another thread.


Your mods are going to be all about towing heavy. I am just one voice who doesn't tow heavy, but I have plenty of experience with things going wrong and I know how important gauges are. For your goals, these are gauge suggestions to consider:

• An OBDII type gauge. You can monitor many important parameters, like the transmission temperature and your high oil pressure, and you can add a sensor or two to the gauge for more parameters, like fuel pressure. Some models can even conduct basic service tests (like a buzz) and pull/clear codes.
• Two EGT sensors, one on the passenger exhaust manifold and one mirroring it on the driver-side. A bad hole on the side of the sensor won't tell you what's going on with the EGTs on the "good" side. A dual-faced EGT meter limits the swing to 90 degrees, but that may be OK for you. I would be tempted to tie those two sensors into my OBDII gauge and get a separate fuel gauge.
• Boost gauge
• I touched on fuel gauge, but I learned I had my head in the sand before I installed mine... so I'm emphasizing it now.
• Maybe a rear-end temperature gauge... somebody else knows better than I.

Let's total that up: OBDII with twin EGT sensors, Fuel Pressure, Boost, and Pumpkin Temp. 4 gauges on the pillar that cover dozens of parameters... and the alarm features on the OBDII gauge will alert you when something is amiss without the need to watch every parameter.

Tuner: There are really only two ways to go if the truck will no longer be stock: The DP Tuner F6 and the Hydra. Anything less than that forces you to yank the chip and send it in if you need fine-tuning (which happens to many of us). Both these units enable you to receive tunes via email and upload them into your tuck with no fuss. DP Tuner is proprietary to them. Hydra (based on the TS style chip) will accept tunes from any vendor that chooses to format to the Hydra (or friend who writes his own tunes).

Air intake. If you go big on sticks, go uber-big on air. Seriously. If you plan on keeping the mods moderate, the Ford AIS has treated me very well with a no-cleaning element that last about 20,000 miles. This long maintenance cycle help to offset the cost of the filter element (triple the cost of a 6637). The AIS breathes and filters better than most products on the market, and it's less expensive than many options I've been researching. Oh... and it's dead quiet. I like to hear turbo whistle out the passenger window, but my kids are all grown up and out... and I have met my quota for listening to whining in the cab.

 

hey guys thanks for all the info. Working right now time is limited just wanted to acknowledge the post. Update, I got some prices on gauges and tranny cooler,I'm going to be taking it in for that in a week or two unfortunately being on the road i gotta pay somebody to do this work. SUX but at least its going to get done. I'm still undecided on what brake or tuner to go with.

 

Whether you re-purpose the stock exhaust back pressure valve (EBPV) or get a dedicated exhaust brake, you might want to consider upgraded valve springs & pushrods to avoid lifting a valve due to excessive back pressure under high load scenarios. Same issue applies for either option.